Kinetoscope.



L. HETZ.

KINETOSGOPB.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.15, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

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Wb'n ess es L. HETZ.

KINE'IOSGOPE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

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LEWIS ifIETz, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

KINETOSCOPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Application filed April 15, 1909. Serial No. 490,191.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS HETZ, of the borough of Manhattan, city and State of N ew York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Kinetoscopes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to an organization for minimizing the noise of operation of a kinetoscope of the intermittent type7 to certain improvements in the shutter mechanism of such machines, to means precluding interference with the governing mechanism of the aperture closure when access is had to the machine for the insertion or withdrawal of a film and to a relation of parts such that the shifting of the film actuator with its engaged film for the purpose of positioning the picture properly'on the display surface shall simultaneously carry the film an equal distance without causing the latter to thereby under or over-run.

The various features of the invention are disclosed in the kinetoscope illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation, part being broken v away, looking from the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken parallel to the axisof the lens tube. Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line af-a of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the shutter mechanism and associated parts.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all figures.

The sup orting framework of the illustrated macllfine embodies a base plate 2 from which extends an upright 2 having secured thereto side plates'3 3 affording bearing supports for various operative parts.

The present machine being designed for hand operation a vhand crank 4 is indicated while a multiplying train is interposed between it and the film actuator. For the purpose of a minimum noise of operation, such train includes an internal gear mounted on a shouldered stud 5 secured to side plate 3. Hub 4 of crank 4 is rotative on said stud referably engaging with the internal gear y a clutch 42.

Included in the aforesaid multiplying train is a gear 6 meshing with the internal gear and secured. to shaft 6 journaled in plates 3, 3 and carrying at its opposite end a gear 7 .which drives a gear 7 rigid with a spiral gear 8. Shaft 7 2 of gears 7 and 8 is known manner.

journaled in plate 3 and an outboard bracket 73.' Gear 8 meshes with a companion gear S on a vertical shaft 9 journaled above and below in bearings 9, 92 respectively, rigid with plate 3.

The film actuator consists of t-lie usual sprocket wheel 10 the teeth of which engage with notches iii the film in the well Shaft 10 of this wheel is supported on a vertically shiftable carriage comprising side parts 11, 11 and cross piece 112. As shown this carriage is let into a recess of plates 3, 3 and is guided in its up and down movement by the projecting ends of parallel pins 12, 12 secured to the carriage and slidable in openings in lugs 12 on plates 3, 3. This carriage may be adjusted to a desired position (to properly place the film with reference to the shutter-controlled aperture presently referred to) by means of a hand lever 13 fulcrumed to a lug 13l on the upright 2 and connected to the carriage by a link 132 a friction washer 133 or equivalent device being used to hold the parts in their adjusted position.

The driving shaft for sprocket wheel shaft 10 is designated by 14, a Geneva stop motion 14 being interposed between them whereby a continuous rotary motion of the latter effects an intermittent rotary motion of the former. Shaft 14 is carried by the aforesaid carriage, and preferably provided with a fly wheel 15 and has aixed to it a spiral gear 16 meshing with a companion gear 16 carried by shaft 9. The connection between this latter gear and shaft 9 is preferably a sliding or spline and key way, as 162 in order that the aforesaid adjusting movement of the carriage shall not thereby turn shaft 14 but effect solely a translational movement of sprocket wheel 10.

The film is held in engagement with sprocket wheel 10 by the usual grooved,

roller frame 17 journaled on a stud 17 on the vcarriage and held against or away from the Wheel by a spring 172 adapted to press against a flat surface 173 on the stud.

A similar sprocket wheel construction is adopted at the top and bottom of thema- "tion with a erture 20 in a manner such that they each perform oneltull rotation for each full rotation oit' the shaft of the hlm actuator.

:lhe lens tube is designated by 19, the same being secured to upright 2 in coaxial relain ilm support 20 secured to p ates 3, 3. The i'ilm l? travels through a groove 202, formed in support 20 past the aperture in the latter and engages with sprocket wheel actuator 10 below as already described.

A retainer in the nature of a hinged leafv 21 serves to hold the traveling hlm in its guiding groove 2O2 this leai2 being hung on a pintle 21 about which it may be swung to gain access to the groove in removing and inserting lms the leaf being 'locked in its closed position by a catch 212.. @pening 213 in leai2 21 opposite aperture 20 is shownas provided wlth a closure 22 which while the machine is at rest extends across and obstructs the passage of light through the tilm and the lens tube. As the machine is operated, however,y and the parts gain their predetermined speed the closure swings to one rside on its hinge pin 22 leaving the light passage unobstructed. it is desirable also that the opening and closing of leaf 21 shall not be interfered with by the controlling mechanism associated with closure 22. The organization here adopted to meet these requirements embodies a centrifugal governor 23 with its regulating spring 23 associated with shaft 9 and causing the speed-regulated axial positioning of a grooved collar 232 into the groove of which extends the bifurcated end of a hinged lever 24 whose opposite end is also biturcated and embraces pintle 21 of leaf or door 21. This latter end bears upon a pintle-encircling collar 24a against whose opposite face bears the bifurcated end oi. one arm of an angle lever 24 pivoted on door 21 the parts being held in operative relation by a spring 242. rlhe remaining arm of angle lever 24 is connected by a link 243 with a crank pin on closure 22. Suffice it to say in further explanation that as the Speed of shaft 9 increases closure 22 swings fart-her away from its closing position.

Referring now to the shutter mechanism for momentarily shutting oi the entrance of light during the intermittent shifting movements of the film, the present mechanism includes apair of shutters 25,1* 25 each having superficial dimensions suicient to approximately shut off the entrance of all lightv from the `source of illumination at some time during its movement across the axis of the lens tube immediately at the front of the aperture in the Elm support 20. These shutters are adapted to move in opposite directions over a path that carries each shutter from a position above the aperture @eases to a position below the same and back again, their paths being substantially parallel.

rlhe mounting here shown for effecting such movements comprises a pair of pivoted frames one for each shutter and each embracing side arms 25 and a connecting bar 252 to which the corresponding shutter is secured. These side arms are pivoted (one pair within the other) topins 253 extending from side plates 3, 3 and are connected to the opposite ends of a rock lever 26 by corresponding links 26, 26. Rock lever 26is linked, see 262, to a crankpin 263 on the aforementioned shaft 72 of gears 8 and 7. lt is evident from this construction that each shutter will perform a double vibration in the arc of a circle for each iull turn ot shaft 7? and that the path of movement oi' the shutters. departing but little from a straight line will permit the lens tube if desired, to be ybrought close up to the light aperture in ilm support 20.

Having described my invention, lclaim;

1. "ln a kinetoscope the combination of an,

apertured film support, a film retainer cooperative with said support and having au opening alined with the aperture in said support, a pintle on which said retainer is i hinged, a shiftable closure on said retainer, a centrifugal governor, and a connection between said closure and said governor embodying a sliding connection on said pintle.

2. ln a kinetoscope, the combination of a hinged film retainer, a hinged aperture closure, a centrifugal governor and a connection between said governor and said closure embodying means for shifting the connection axially of the hinge axis ot said retainer.'

3. lln a kinetoscope, the combination of a pair of vibratory' frames each comprising a pair of side arms and a cross bar, shutters secured to the said cross bars, a pair of oppositely extending pins to each of which each of said frames is pivoted, a driving mechan` ism, and aconnection between said frames and said driving mechanism. y

4; ln a kinetoscope, the combination of a `pair of vibratory fra-mes each comprising a pair of'side arms and a cross bar, shutters secured to sa1d cross bars, oppositely extending pins to which each of said frames is pivoted, a rock armfulcrumed intermediate its ends, a pair of links extending from said frames to theopposite ends of said rock arm, a driving mechanismfand a crank pin driven thereby and linked to said rock arm.

In witness whereof l have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS HETZ. Witnesses: A

HUGO ScHUnL'rHnna' RVV. PITTMAN. 

